Israel rebuffed in past, offers sympathy but no aid to Iran, Iraq after quake
Israel offered sympathy but no immediate assistance to Iran and Iraq to help the countries deal with the aftermath of a destructive earthquake Sunday (12th).
Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Emmanuel Nahshon said Monday (13th) he was unaware of any aid offered to the two countries, neither of which have diplomatic ties with Israel. In fact, Israel considers both Iran, which avowedly seeks Israel’s demise, and Iraq to be “enemy states” and prohibits citizens from traveling there.
In the past, Tehran’s Interior Ministry said it would accept help from all countries except one: Israel.
“The Islamic Republic of Iran accepts all kinds of humanitarian aid from all countries and international organizations with the exception of the Zionist regime,” a spokesman said in 2003 when 26,000 Iranians were killed in another earthquake.
(timesofisrael.com; jta.org)
Netanyahu: Israel will act in Syria ‘in accordance with our security needs’
Israel will continue to carry out strikes in Syria despite a United States-Russia ceasefire, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Monday (13th) after reports that the deal would allow Iranian troops to remain 3 miles from Israel’s border.
Speaking during the weekly Likud party faction meeting, Netanyahu described Israel’s security policy as “the right combination of firmness and responsibility” and said he has told Moscow and Washington that Israel will continue carrying out strikes in Syria despite the ceasefire agreement “In accordance with our understanding and in accordance with our security needs.”
(reuters.com; jpost.com)
Experts warn Haifa’s industrial zone will be ‘prime target’ in next war
Haifa’s industrial zone, particularly sensitive facilities like the Oil Refineries compound, will be a prime target for Hizbullah in its next conflict with Israel, three former officials with Rafael Advanced Defense Systems warned Sunday (12th).
In an interview with Israel’s Channel 2 News, the officials said that the government’s plan to extend the oil refineries and build a new petrol depository near them will significantly increase the amount of hazardous materials stored in the Haifa Bay industrial zone making it “impossible to protect.”
(israelhayom.com; afp.com)
Israeli ministers turn away European delegation for ties to BDS
Israel’s Minister of Strategic Affairs Gilad Erdan and Minister of Interior Aryeh Deri announced Monday (13th) that they turned away a delegation of senior European politicians, who had planned to visit Israel and the West Bank next week, because of their ties to the BDS movement.
In a joint statement the ministers said that the official reason for the visit was for politicians to meet with jailed Palestinian leader Marwan Barghouti and that Israel would not allow the entrance of those, no matter what office they hold, who seek to besmirch Israel and support it’s enemies.
(jpost.com)
Amid war of words, IDF nabs top Islamic Jihad official in West Bank
Israeli forces arrested a top commander of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad terror group in the West Bank early Monday (13th), a day after Jerusalem warned the group amid rising tensions over Gaza.
The Shin Bet security service confirmed that Tariq Qa’adan was picked up by the Israel Defense Forces in Arrabeh, near Jenin, in the northern West Bank. Qa’adan serves as a senior officer in the Gaza-based terror group’s West Bank wing.
(timesofisrael.com)
Moldovan prime minister visits Western Wall
Pavel Filip, the Prime MInister of Moldova, on Sunday (12th) visited the Western Wall in Jerusalem.
The visit was part of Filip’s trip to Israel, and he was accompanied by a convoy of security guards, Moldovan and Israeli intelligence officials, and a delegation of government officials.
(israelnn.com)
Rise in Russian, Turkish immigration to Israel
Immigration to Israel from Russia has increased in 2017 and has more than doubled from Turkey.
23,415 immigrants have come to Israel from Jan. 1 to Sept. 30, the Jewish Agency for Israel reported.
There was an 8% rise in immigration from the former Soviet Union, representing 13,192 individuals, including 5,661 from Russia and nearly 6,000 from Ukraine.
This year more than 350 Turkish Jews came, compared to 164 in the same period last year.
(jta.org)
Germany charges Palestinian over Hamburg knife attack
German prosecutors said Friday (10th) they have charged Palestinian asylum-seeker Ahmad A., 26, with murder after his deadly knife rampage at a Hamburg supermarket in July killed one and wounded six.
“The accused sought out his victims indiscriminately retaliating against people who, in his view, represent perpetrators of injustice, targeting Muslims,” said prosecutors.
“It was very important to him to kill as many German nationals of the Christian faith as possible.”
(dailymail.co.uk)
Mexico to change stance on Palestinian-Israeli conflict votes
Mexican Foreign Minister Luis Figari Casso has told Israel’s Ambassador to Mexico Yoni Peled that Mexico has decided to change its voting strategy in all upcoming votes related to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.
It will turn from voting in favor of the Palestinians to abstaining or voting for Israel, the Israeli newspaper Yediot Ahronot reported.
Last week Mexico voted for Israel during a debate at UNESCO.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited Mexico last September, and Israel sent aid there after an earthquake recently.
(ynetnews.com)
New Eilat Airport to open in 2018 – Anna Ahronheim
Eilat’s Ilan and Assaf Ramon International Airport is set to open in April 2018.
The first civilian airport built since Israel was founded is located about 11.7 miles north of Eilat in the Timna Valley and will replace the current airport located within the city itself.
(jpost.com)
